Questions to ask a new enquiry, in the order that gets you a job
Ask seven things: what they need, where they are, when they want it, whether anyone else is looking at it, what they have spent before, how they would like you to reply, and how to reach them. Ask them in that order. The first four decide whether the job is worth quoting, and the last three decide whether you ever hear back.
Why the order matters more than the questions
Most owners open with "what is your budget". It is the right question in the wrong place. Asked first it sounds like you are sizing them up, and people either inflate the number or go quiet. Asked fifth, after they have told you what they want and you have shown you understand it, it reads as sensible.
The other reason to fix the order is speed. If you get their contact details and their deadline in the first reply, you can quote properly even if they never answer again. Half a set of answers still beats a polite exchange that takes four days and ends in silence.
The seven questions, with the wording
- What are you looking to get done? "Tell me in your own words what you need, no need to use the right terms."
- Whereabouts are you? "What is the postcode, so I can check we cover it and how long it takes to get to you."
- When do you want it? "Is there a date this needs to be finished by, or are you flexible?"
- Is anyone else quoting? "Are you getting a couple of prices, or are we the first ones you have spoken to?"
- What sort of budget are you working to? "So I do not waste your time, roughly what were you expecting to spend?"
- How would you like me to come back to you? "Is text, email or a quick call easiest for you?"
- Best number and email? "And the best number to reach you on, in case the email goes astray."
What each answer actually tells you
"I am getting three quotes." Price will decide it, so lead with what is included, not what it costs.
"No rush." This will drift. Book the next contact in yourself rather than waiting.
"I have no idea what it should cost." They have not done this before, so they need reassurance more than a discount.
"Text is easiest." Do not send a four page PDF. Send the number and the date in a message they can read at a bus stop.
Three ways this goes wrong
- Asking all seven at once, so it reads like a form and they abandon it
- Taking the answers on the phone and writing them on the back of an envelope
- Getting the answers and then still taking three days to come back with a price
The answers are only worth having if they live somewhere you can find them. The free guide shows the simplest way to keep them.
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Send me the free BlueprintWhere the answers should end up
These seven answers are the whole file on that customer. If they sit in a text thread on one phone and a voicemail on another, the person who follows up on Thursday has to ask again, and asking twice loses jobs. The fix is one place per enquiry, which is what organising customer enquiries and a simple CRM really mean in practice.
GoHighLevel can ask most of this for you on a short web form, then put the answers on that person's record next to every call, text and email since. When you sit down to quote, everything they told you is on one screen. It also means the follow up can be written for the answers they gave, which is the point of a follow-up system.
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Common questions
Is seven questions too many for a first reply?
For a phone call, no, it is a two minute conversation. For a written enquiry, send the first three and ask the rest once they answer. The aim is to get a reply going, not to complete a form.
Should I ask about budget at all?
Yes, but late and gently. Asked after you understand the job, it saves you both an afternoon. If they refuse to say, give a range for two versions of the work and let them point at one.
What if they will not answer the questions?
Quote on what you do know and say what you assumed. A price with clear assumptions gets a correction, and a correction is a conversation. Silence while you wait for perfect information gets you nothing.
Does this work for enquiries that come in overnight?
Better than you would think, as long as something acknowledges them first. Send a short honest holding message, then ask the questions in the morning. See our out of hours wording for the exact lines.